America in the 1950s United States History, Since 1877 Mrs. Rosen

The 1950s was a time of marriage, family, religious observance, television, and a growing consumer consciousness. Rebelliousness was minimized, and complacency became the norm.

Return to a Peacetime Economy The economy continued to grow after the war because of increased consumer spending. A 25 percent increase in the gross national product put 60 percent of Americans in the middle class. Dramatic economic growth enabled consumers to buy more goods than ever before.

The GI Bill Helped economy by provided loans to veterans. Allowed an entire generation to pursue the American dream of higher education, suburban housing, and a family.

The Democratization of Higher Education Institutions of higher education were better attended than ever before during the 1950s because of government support, such as the GI Bill. State and local governments began to invest heavily in order to meet increasing enrollments.

The total enrollment of white women was a third of that of white men as GI Bill veterans flocked to college.

The GI Bill also brought thousands of African Americans into the classrooms. The large veteran enrollments also introduced a new feature of college life— the married student.

Unlike men, however, women dropped out of college upon marriage, taking jobs to enable their husbands to stay in school.

American Prosperity Transition from a wartime to peacetime economy. New business techniques like advertising, the fastest growing industry in the United States, and improved technology produced the highest standard of living in the world.

Advertising aimed at housewives gave the impression that consumerism went hand- in-hand with the withdrawal of women from the workforce. However, the number of working women actually increased in the 1950s with married women leading the way.

The desire to earn enough money to buy homes, cars, and televisions drove many families to supplement male incomes with those of females.

The Revival of Domesticity The 1950s saw domestic ideology return after the disruptions of the Great Depression and World War II.

The domestic life of women became glorified by advertisers, women's magazines, and others to promote their concept of the perfect American woman.

Tucked within those pages, the periodicals promised the modern mid-century housewife would find exactly the right information and products that would give her the knowledge to excel in her role as wife and mother.

Rarely directly challenged, this led to women marrying earlier and having more children.

The Revival of Religion As family life gained renewed emphasis, so did the role of religion in it. America's prosperity and its strong anti- Communist position worldwide helped to spread the revival as well. Critics pointed out that the trend had more to do with the desire to conform than with any serious commitment to religion.

The 1950’s Family Suburbs symbolized the American dream, but also an example of the social theme of the 50’s – conformity.

Homes became more affordable than ever with builders working around the clock to produce low cost homes financed by the GI Bill.

The 1950’s Family Grows Larger The reuniting of couples after the Second World War led to the baby boom of the late 1940s. The Baby Boom – more than 65 million babies born – GI benefits encouraged the growth of families – Television and magazines promoted large families – Led to a shortage of shortage of schools and teachers

The explosion of mass media fuelled the growth of a ‘niche’ commercial market. It was the birth of the teenager. The rise of the global economy meant that more people were richer than in pre-war times and the ‘not quite child, not quite adult’, who still lived at home, had more free time than ever.

Teens in the 1950s Teens rebelled against the conformist adult society. Generation gap: cultural separation between children and parents.

1954 saw the symbols of rebellion in rock ‘n’ roll and films like The Wild One starring Marlon Brando, as youth culture diverged from the perfect nuclear family as portrayed in advertisements. Although younger girls had more freedom than their mothers had had, women’s place was still seen as being in the home.

This is reflected in fashion of the time: although, with the invention of nylon, clothes were more comfortable and practical, there were still restrictions: women were expected to wear sculpted bras, girdles and stockings.

Mona Lisa Smile (2003) Producer Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas said: ‘The costumes in this movie are a metaphor for the story, the foundations and the corsets dictate the feminine ideal that defined the 1950s.’

Television Transforms Culture Televisions became more affordable for consumers. By the end of the 1950s, 87 percent of American families owned TV sets. What had been a novelty in 1950 was a staple of family entertainment by 1960.

Through shows like I Love Lucy, television reinforced values— that the writers, producers, and sponsors believed Americans should hold.

Although critics judged television a "wasteland," average Americans spent much of their leisure time in front of the screen

Countercurrents Just as the 1920s had its "lost generation" of artists and social critics, the 1950s had its own generation who revealed the unrest underlying the complacency of the decade.

Social rebellion hit the music circles as African American music gained in popularity among white youth and Elvis Presley's songs climbed the charts.

Poverty Amidst Prosperity Over 20% of American families lived below the poverty line. – Single mothers, elderly, immigrants, rural Americans, and Native Americans. – Black salaries were only 51% of what whites were paid.

As middle class white families moved to the suburbs, cities became home for African Americans.

Urban renewal programs tore down old homes and built high-rise projects.